Infant mortality in three East Midland towns: similarities and differences, 1890-1910

Until the end of the nineteenth century the problem of infant mortality was still an area which was mainly regarded as a problem of the home circumstances that the child were born into. Interfering in an individual’s life was abhorrent to the status quo, so little was done to investigate the problem and it was only at the beginning of the twentieth century that a real interest began to take place. Several reasons can be attributed to this; firstly the shocking results of the Boer War recruits showing what an unhealthy population Britain was producing; secondly there was a serious reduction in the birth rate, thirdly a growing concern by governments as to why the death rate for the population as a whole was falling whilst the death rate for infants was increasing and fourthly the nascent interest in social intervention. Infant Mortality was a conundrum then and, still fascinates today, given the still unacceptable high rates in certain parts of the world. This article will argue that the study of the three Midland towns highlights that infant mortality was a difficult problem to solve but that the practices put in place at the end of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries were correct and moving in the right direction. The great value of a study of child mortality is as an index to the state of the environmental conditions, both public and private, social facilities and health in a particular area. 2 Edward Seaton, Nottingham’s first Medical Officer of Health commented, ‘It is on the lives of infants that unhealthy influences have their deadliest